Licensed and Laboratory Bacteriostatic Water in the UK

The bacteriostatic water we sell is a laboratory supply. It is not a licensed medicine and it is not for human or veterinary use. This page explains the difference between that and the licensed product that exists in the UK.

The licensed product

There is a UK-licensed bacteriostatic water, made by Pfizer. It is supplied as a diluent for one specific medicine and it is a prescription-only medicine. Its details are on the Electronic Medicines Compendium. Water for injections is also a prescription-only medicine in the UK.

If you have been prescribed a medicine and need a diluent, speak to your prescriber or pharmacist. They will supply the right one for it.

What we sell

We sell 10ml vials of bacteriostatic water, which is sterile water with 0.9% benzyl alcohol. It is sold by the box for laboratory use only. The vials are supplied unlabelled as standard. You can add a printed label for 25p a vial, which says laboratory use only. We do not give advice on using it in or on people or animals, and it must not be used that way.

Why we say this plainly

You should know what you are buying. A product sold for laboratory use does not carry a UK medicines licence and has not been approved for use in people or animals. We would rather say that clearly than leave it out.

Where to go next

• What is bacteriostatic water?
• Bacteriostatic water vs sterile water vs saline
• Buy bacteriostatic water in the UK